Virtual and On-Location Photography

  How did you feel that last time you posted a new professional headshot? I'm guessing pretty good. What I've noticed on social media is when a client posts a new headshot the comments like these start to explode.                                                        Love it Gorgeous Wow You're so pretty Very professional... You look younger than ever Fabulous as always only more so... Awesome So handsome. Keep up the good work. You're looking good... Who took that photo? I want to look like you. When I read the comments and see clients' social media likes it's an endorphin rush. There are so many reasons why you'll want to update your headshot.  It will attract new viewers. Have you ever bought a book twice because the cover was changed? You get the idea. An updated headshot will keep you in front of clients and prosp...

This 2 part blog addresses the professionalism and your personal brand that you can project in a virtual meeting. Don't waste the opportunity or other attendees' time if you aren't going to respect who they and you are. In Part 1  we discussed paying attention in a virtual meeting, dressing professionally, and staying in one place sitting still. The next 3 thoughts address the environmental setting. Backgrounds - Is it as difficult for you as it is for me to concentrate on the person when the background is like a storage facility? OK, that's harsh. But even though not all of us have the luxury of devoting a spiffy space to where we meet it wouldn't hurt to clean up the mess behind. Solution: have your logo, product photos, etc. ( professionally shot if possible ) printed by a retail printer and hang them up behind you. Make sure the photo size is large enough or close enough to your screen that your viewers can appreciate what's behind you. Optional...

For real. It's not a futuristic idea, Virtual Impact Photography is here. Technology has had a profound effect on how we do business and how we acquire clients, partne rs and services. Photography is the unifying visual element that brings focus to you, your brand and products.  Virtual Impact Photography (VIP) launched a remote photography and coaching service that mirrors a professional studio photoshoot experience for headshots and personal branding. A VIP experience lets clients feel comfortable and safe in their own surroundings while a professional photographer coaches them afar for the best poses, and best lighting and most effective setting before snapping the shutter remotely.  Photos taken during a virtual photoshoot are actual live mobile camera shots in the client’s own environment, NOT screen shots or fake backdrops. The photoshoot is conducted in real time anywhere in the world, managed by the photographer who makes suggestions for poses, ...

In spite of the fact that we're not meeting in person, why is it less important that we present ourselves in a professional manner online? Think of your online video image as personal branding. This article is a little bit of a rant - very little - but I've noticed a few things during an online meeting that I want to share. I am definitely guilty of some of the following so let's improve together as we learn more about the technology and the fact that we will be using it for a long time going forward.   This meeting participant totally shocked me. I was in a meeting for professional women and this one was in addition to sitting just like you see her, she was also crocheting. Then she would get up, come back, get up, move around. She's the prime example of what not to do in 1, 2 and 3 in this post. Pay Attention  - It's frustrating to see someone who is presenting or part of a group discussion when others are doing paperwork, looking bored, general...

We're all selfie-obsessed!  My sister and I were doing selfies decades ago with film (huh!) cameras but had no way to share. The digital mobile phone has turned Selfies into a necessary component of socializing even to only to share online if you're sheltering in place. Over 17 million self-photos are uploaded to social media every week - with those individuals over-55 taking more pics than those aged 18-24. If that many pics are being uploaded imagine how many are being taken daily ~ badly! With summer NOW and Selfies an obsession we're in for quite a season of dropping our phones, bumping into people and falling over anyone in our way.  These 3 tips will help you take better Selfies and avoid walking into traffic when we eventually can walk around in traffic! These tips also work well with or without a mask.  1 - Make sure the light is toward or at least a 45 degree angle to your face. Note: Do not face bright sun without some sort of shade...

As a photographer I tend to see things that others might ignore or pass over. During the past couple months I've been in many virtual meetings on Zoom, FaceTime and others. Here are my observations and suggestions for a better business meeting visual experience - mostly for your viewers. Environment - have a 'clean' background; take things off your desk if it will show during the meeting. I suggest a neat, professional background with your logo or something specific to your business. What does your business do/sell?  Think about featuring a product, tools used to sell your product or even a display or picture in the background. If you have nothing you want to feature, be sure the background has a professional, organized office feel.  Sound – Please mute when you're not speaking if you have anything in the background that could interrupt or detract from your conversation, particularly if you are on a call with multiple participants. Pets, dishwasher, kids,...

This is going to be short and sweet. PUT A HEADSHOT ON YOUR LINKED IN ACCOUNT!!!  Do I sound like I'm screaming? Sorry - I am. I'm a little edgy right now. Hope you understand. Do you follow or trust anyone on LinkedIn who won't post a current headshot on their account? Next worse thing to no headshot is posting a 20 year old photo but that's a different argument. Once you have a proper headshot how about filling in all the blue space? It's prime advertising space. Even just a logo is better than blue. I like blue but not on a LinkedIn Cover Image. Use these dimensions from the LinkedIn help page when you want to update your LinkedIn photos.  TAB MODULE MINIMUM IMAGE SIZE RECOMMENDED IMAGE SIZE Page Logo Image 300 (w) x 300 (h) pixels 300 (w) x 300 (h) pixels Page Cover Image 1192 (w) x 220 (h) pixels 1584 (w) x 396(h) pixels You may not be thinking about headshots, advertising, your job, your future - it's understandable. When you do decide to...

After spending a ton of money on equipment with a plan to make promotional videos for my photography business I was frustrated when I could not get all the equipment to work together. I know my photography equipment inside and out but when it came to producing video not so much, actually not at all! Out of frustration I did a search on line (of course) and found a simple, low cost option that includes what you already have. This hack is particularly for iPhone users but may also apply to other mobile phone cameras as well. This link will take you to a quick video  with the instructions as well that may give you a good visual way to implement the solution for yourself. I will outline here as well. Find something you can put the phone on that is stable. I have a mini-tripod which isn't very expensive and helps. You have a choice of many specifically to hold a mobile phone. Position the camera horizontally which is best for almost all uses. Take the headset provide...

I think a lot about headshots. I think about what's best in a headshot and can come up with a dozen ideas that suit me but maybe not you. What it boils down to is that your headshots reflect your personality, supports your story ~ all while it projects your brand. We live in a visual world. Professional photography has never been as important as it is right now when communicating with prospects and influencing your market. You are the literal face of your business and you want your prospects and clients to know who you are. Building a robust library of photos is key to maintaining a fresh portfolio of flexible visual assets. It is useful to have more than one headshot taken during a session. That provides flexibility for when and where to post your photo. It's an opportunity to always have something new to post and update your followers and clients on social media, place on  business cards, press releases, brochures, announcements and more. Decide what works best f...

In Part 1 we covered Productive Ways to Use Corporate Event Photography with 14 tips to consider the next time you hire a photographer for an event. Pre-Event planning is an important step that will assure success. Without it it's like darts - hit or miss. The plan will be used to communicate with your team and photographer so everyone is on the same page when it comes to before, during and after the event. There are two key areas to define in the planning stage that should be provided by the organizer to the photographer: a check list of shots that will be needed depending on how the photos will be used and tactical instructions.   Suggested “shot list” many include: Pre-event setup. This can involve set-up, preparation and decoration throughout the construction phase before the attendees arrive A step and repeat at the 'Red carpet' location as the attendees arrive Posed and candid shots of VIPS such as speakers, awardees, key clients etc. Crowds m...

 (Part 2 Will Cover How Pre-Event Planning will Enhance the Results of Corporate Event Photograph y) The original title of this article was 'Where do your event photos go to die?' It seemed a little harsh. Practically speaking, though, I know that most photos taken at an event will end up in a digital boneyard. Why? Because... Organizers don’t know what to do with them The person responsible is too busy to follow-up The company may lack a marketing perspective The company uses stock photos. One hopes it doesn’t show up on a competitor’s website, just sayin’! It’s been known to happen. A strategic plan wasn't put into place prior to the event  Finally, Who cares! Wow. I have to confess that when I produced events in the 90’s I didn’t have photos taken. That was before the ubiquitous availability of digital photography. Do I wish I had?  You bet because there are so many relevant and valuable uses for the photos from events. Let’s go through some he...

We're all selfie-obsessed! The digital mobile phone has turned Selfies into a necessary component of socializing but definitely not an art.   Did you know that over 17 million self-photos are uploaded to social media every week - with those individuals over-55 taking more pics than those aged 18-24. If that many pics are being uploaded imagine how many are being taken daily. Astonishing. With a new year ahead of us and Selfies an obsession we're in for quite a year of dropping our phones, bumping into people or falling over anyone in our way to get that very special selfie.   These examples will help you take better Selfies and avoid walking into traffic. Photo 1 through 4 were taken in the same room within a 10 minute timeframe. You can see how direction can impact the resulting photo. Photo 5 was in a meeting room with overhead lighting. Photo 1 ~  Make sure the light is toward or at least a 45 degree angle to your face. Th...

Holidays are particularly stressful between gift buying, party going and party hosting. This and next week I'll outline steps that may reduce stress at least around entertaining. Keep in mind that size matters and you'll want to scale these tips to match your vision for the party. Check out other posts on my blog if you want to take better party photos. Some of the tips outlined may sound over the top snooty or expensive. Just pick a few of these ideas. I grew up with parents who loved to entertain.  There was always enough good food, refreshments and fun friends.  I learned a lot from them and over the past 45 years have picked up a few extra tips that I've written about in this email. I hope you find them useful. Planning. Start planning days or even weeks before an event depending on how many people will attend. For me half the fun is the creativity that goes into the menu, decoration, setting the table and anticipating the day of the party. Theme...

The holidays are upon us and planning the season has kicked in. I took my vampire and witch Halloween 'dolls' out (they will enjoy the light until January 2), we're planning Thanksgiving dinner and hosting a comfort soup party on January 1. Between now and when the activities are in full swing many of us will also be planning holiday cards (hopefully with professional photography but that's a different story), event invitations and more. I'm currently scheduling mini-photo sessions for Saturday November 16 in DC Ranch, North Scottsdale. Get in touch to schedule your session and receive a FREE digital photo optimized for  your holiday cards or wherever you prefer.  There are several companies that do wonderful printing for reasonable prices. The labs I use have good quality paper, fantastic range of designs and great pricing. They're easy to set up - just drag and drop. Add a personal message and you're in good shape for the holidays. Vistapri...